MOZ - Baptista, three others join the mix

MAPUTO (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Mozambique have played in every African championship since 2001, but not finished higher than 10th.

The national side has therefore enjoyed a level of consistency by reaching the continent's big tournament, yet success has eluded them with more powerful sides like Angola, Tunisia, Senegal and Nigeria making regular trips to the podium.

Mozambique fueled hopes of a strong run two years ago in Madagascar when they prevailed in their opening game over the host nation, yet the team then fell in four straight games and endured a frustrating exit from medal contention.

They had a couple of narrow defeats to Mali and finished with just a single victory in their five games.

Mozambique have made it to Afrobasket 2013 by winning all five of their games in Qualifying Zone VI.

With players like Octavio Magolico leading the way, the hope is that Mozambique can at least claim their highest finish in the completion.

The team has added Armando Baptista, Ismael Nurmamad, André Velasco and Carlos Marize - four members of the league champions Ferroviario da Beira - to the squad.

Baptista was in the team two years ago but was used sparingly.

Mozambique are the lowest ranked team in their Afrobasket group that includes Angola, Cape Verde and the Central African Republic, so they have their work cut out if they are to have success.

The teams are not only chasing medals, but also places at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

To make it, Mozambique would have to finish in the top three.

The country's best-ever placing at an AfroBasket was in 1983, when they came in fifth in the tournament that was staged in Alexandria, Egypt.

FIBA